Sarawak narrows academic gap between urban and rural schools

IT is indeed pleasing to read that Sarawak has succeeded in reducing the academic gap between urban and rural schools!

In fact, rural schools managed to record better scores in Bahasa Melayu and Science for last year’s Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)!

Sarawak’s rural schools performed better in terms of achieving the minimum ‘E’ grade for all principal subjects.

“We have always worked to lessen the (academic) gap between the urban and rural schools and this year, we are proud to have achieved this,” Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah is quoted as saying.

She pointed out that 11 rural schools recorded very encouraging results to be within the 50 cluster of best performing rural schools!

These top performing rural schools were:

SMK Kwong Hua, Sibu

SMK Tinggi Sarikei, Sarikei

SMK Kubong, Limbang

SMK Kai Chung, Meradong

SM Vokasional Matang, Padawan

SMK Tong Hua, Meradong

SMK Three Rivers, Mukah

SM Sungai Tapang, Samarahan

SMK Pesantren Abdul Taib Mahmud, Samarahan

SM Vokasional Betong, Betong

SMK Agama Sheikh Othman Abdul Wahab, Padawan

It is also good to note that Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, Betong was one of the State’s four excellent performing schools with a 100 per cent pass rate!

Datuk Fatimah pointed out that with better focus and greater effort from all relevant parties, Sarawak would soon be able to close the academic gap between urban and rural schools.

Apparently, to achieve this, rural schools need to brush up on subjects such as English, Mathematics and History.

Well, rural schools have proven that they can do well. Let’s ensure that they receive the help that they need in these three subjects in particular.

Our Sarawakian children deserve the very best education – it doesn’t matter where in the State they were born!

Let’s make sure they have the education they need to take up the various jobs that are being planned and created by programmes such as the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy (SCORE).

Real transformation for a secure future in Sarawak and not just passing change.

The report from The Star:

Fatimah: Academic gap narrower now

By Vanes Devindran

KUCHING: Sarawak has managed to reduce the academic gap between urban and rural schools with the latter turning out to be better scorers in Bahasa Melayu and Science subjects.

The rural schools in the state had performed better in the last year’s SPM in terms of achieving the minimum ‘E’ grade for all principle subjects.

Welfare, Women and Family Develop-ment Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said this was what the state government had been hoping for all along.

“We have always worked to lessen the (academic) gap between the urban and rural schools and this year, we are proud to have achieved this,” she said during the announcement of the state’s overall SPM results at Kolej Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah here yesterday.

Furthermore, she said, 11 rural schools recorded very encouraging results to be within the 50 cluster of best performing rural schools.

She believes that with better focus and greater efforts from all relevant parties, the state could close the gap “soon enough”.

It is learnt that the subjects which rural schools need to improve on are English, Mathematics, History, Islamic Studies and Moral studies.

Nonetheless, overall results showed that last year’s was the state’s best SPM results compared to the past six years.

The state’s grade point average for 2011 is 5.39 compared to 5.58 in 2010, 5.73 (2009), 5.76 (2008), 5.88 (2007) and 5.92 (2006).

Sarawakian candidates took a total of 87 subjects, of which 80 subjects had passing rates of more than 80%.

The majority of schools in the state had been categorised as having achieved excellent, good and satisfactory performances.

Four schools namely SM Sains Kuching, SM Sains Miri, Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Betong and Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Kuching achieved 100% passes in all subjects, while five schools were listed as having the potential to do better.

However, based on grade point average, the top three schools in Sarawak are SM Sains Kuching (1.82), SM Sains Miri (1.86) and Kolej Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah (2.22).

Sarawak had 48 candidates scoring A+ in all subjects taken compared to last year’s 36.

Of the figure, five scored 11 A+, 40 scored 10 A+ and three scored nine A+.

The number of those scoring at least A- in all subjects taken is 729.

Total number of candidates for 2011 SPM in Sarawak was 38,727.

Earlier, Fatimah advised schools’ guidance and counselling units to set up counters to give advice to these school leavers on their options of further learning.

She understood that this was a daunting time for these school leavers since they needed to decide what would be next for them.

She also encouraged those who did not do well in their SPM not to give up.

“It is not the end of the world.

“For those who are not academically inclined, then technical is the field for you. Technical workers are in demand so it is a good field to pursue.

“There’s a place for everybody as long as you are willing to learn and go for it,” she added.

Results can be obtained through all Education District Offices while independent candidates will receive their results by post.

Candidates can also check their results via SMS through mySMS 15888.

Those who want to rectify any information in their result slip or appeal their results, should do so within the next 30 days, latest by April 20.

The examination board will not entertain any more applications or appeals after that.

Forms for this can be obtained through schools or the examination and assessment units as well as District Education offices and the State Education Department headquarters at Jalan Simpang Tiga here.